Following our pre-Iron Bowl eagle practice video, Smarter Every Day met up again with the good folks at Auburn University's Southeastern Raptor Center for a look at birds in flight. Our high-speed camera captured footage of their raptors so we could see how a bird can control its whole wing with the movement of each individual feather.

Andrew, a student worker at the SRC's Education unit (who's also the 2011-2012 President of Auburn University's Society for Conservation Biology) introduced us to Petey, a Red-Tailed Hawk; Nadira, a Shaker Falcon; and Percy, a Lanner Falcon. The birds showed off their impressive targeting skills as well as their ability to make mid-air flight corrections.

So what makes their abilities possible?

Humans have cones in our eyes to detect red, green, and blue light. For us, all other colors are combinations of those types of light. Birds, on the other hand, see a lot more. In fact, they have over two thirds more color information that they have to process. This makes sense because birds are some of the most colorful species on the planet.

A bird from the Southeastern Raptor Center stretches out its talons as it reaches its target.

Aside from extra color information, birds also possess what's called a high flicker fusion rate. Humans can detect a flickering light up to about 18 Hz -- beyond that, the flicker appears to us as a smooth image. Birds have a flicker fusion rate of about 100 Hz. The high rate is necessary for flight so that birds can detect and adjust for oncoming objects rapidly.

The high speed video footage here simulates a flicker fusion rate much higher than humans are used to. It's like we're seeing the world through the eyes of the bird. Check it out...

The Southeastern Raptor Center (SRC) is a facility dedicated to the care and conservation of birds of prey, with the mission statement being "Education, Conservation, Rehabilitation." Part of the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine, the SRC is comprised of a rehabilitation and education unit. The rehabilitation unit takes in hundreds of ill, injured, and orphaned raptors every year, while the education unit gives presentations to over 30,000 people annually. For more information on the Southeastern Raptor Center check out their website. They'll bring the eagles to you!